25-8-2023 (JAKARTA) Local authorities in Indonesia’s West Java province have declared a state of emergency as a massive fire rages at the Sarimukti landfill, located near the city of Bandung. The blaze, which has been burning since Tuesday, has prompted concerns over the health and safety of nearby residents as thick smoke engulfs the area.
The landfill fire, spreading across the 25-hectare site, has led to the diagnosis of mild respiratory infections in at least 67 individuals living in close proximity. Two people have been hospitalized due to the toxic effects of the fire, as reported by a local health clinic.
Amin Bunyamin, the headmaster of an Islamic middle school located 6 kilometers away from the fire, stated that students were advised to stay at home due to the dense smoke. He expressed concerns about their well-being, highlighting the choking nature of the fumes emitted by the burning trash.
Despite efforts by at least 30 fire trucks, the blaze remains uncontained. Local authorities attribute the continuing fire to high temperatures and strong winds in the region. Consequently, the government has declared a 21-day state of emergency in the affected area, according to West Java regent Hengky Kurniawan.
The lack of modern waste management infrastructure in the densely populated cities of Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, exacerbates the challenge of dealing with large amounts of solid waste generated daily. Kurniawan attributed the landfill fire to discarded cigarette butts and urged residents not to dispose of them, particularly during the ongoing drought season.
Acknowledging the inadequacy of local authorities’ firefighting capabilities, Kurniawan announced plans to deploy water bombs from helicopters provided by the country’s national disaster management agency on Friday. Additionally, a temporary garbage collection site will be established, while residents are encouraged to manage their waste responsibly.
Governor Ridwan Kamil of West Java expressed hope that the country’s geophysics agency’s attempts at weather modification in the area would yield rain, aiding in extinguishing the inferno.
